This invention relates generally to tote bags, and in particular, a tote bag having straps to secure the bag in a compact, self-contained condition so that the bag is easy to transport and store.
In the past tote bags have been used for a variety of purposes, and particularly, by individuals desiring to transport small items from one place to another. For example, tote bags have been used by individuals to transport and store knitting materials and to transport items such as suntan lotion, towels and radios to and from a beach or lake. More recently, in light of heightened environmental concerns, the use of tote bags by shoppers, in lieu of the conventional paper and plastic shopping bags provided by the store, has been advocated and encouraged. The basic premise is that shoppers, by providing their own reusable shopping bags, will lessen the demand for paper and plastic shopping bags. As a result, fewer trees will need to be cut down to make paper shopping bags and less garbage will be created as a result of paper and plastic shopping bags being disposed of by the shopper after use.
With the advent of the use of tote bags for shopping, one problem faced by shoppers is that of storing and transporting the tote bags while not in use. Typically, the tote bags are made of cloth or some other flexible and durable material. The tote bags are usually stored in the person's home or automobile and then carried into the store. A drawback to using tote bags is that when not in use they can tend to be awkward and cumbersome to transport and store. These problems make the use of such tote bags inconvenient and therefore less desirable. Therefore, it would be highly desirable to provide an improved tote bag that is of a construction so as to be easy and manageable to use.